5 Ways A Photographer Can Use BitTorrent Sync

Technology should never be an obstacle in the creative process. But when you’re dealing with large amounts of even larger files, it sometimes is. We built Sync for situations just like this.

By using a technology that moves stuff directly between devices, Sync delivers on fast speeds while making sure your files are accessible anywhere. As a photographer, we hope it frees you up to focus on what’s important; capturing moments and telling stories.

Here’s 5 ways you can begin using Sync today. If you have other ideas, let us know in the comments section.

Share large files quickly

With Sync, there’s no need for CDs, shipping hard drives, slow download galleries or complex cloud-based file transfer services. Whatever you have on your laptop can be instantly shared with whomever needs it (right click on a PC, finder on a Mac), with an easy-to-share link.

Whether it’s sending files during or immediately after a shoot to a retoucher based in another city, or getting files to your clients, Sync makes the process easy. And since you’re not uploading into the cloud first (what you find with most file transfer services), you’ll see that the transfer speeds are very fast.

Collaborate with other photographers

When you’re working as a duo for a shoot, the process of getting files to one another afterwards and keepings things synchronized can be challenging.

One of our former contributors to this Sync blog, @resiliosync – a wedding photographer – talks about working with other photographers and the hours spent transferring files onto one another’s laptops; it was inconvenient and time consuming. With Sync, they were able to share photo files, Lightroom catalogs and album design projects – quickly and reliably.

Back up images

When you unload your cards after a shoot, the replication process typically involves transferring the files onto another physical device (be it an external hard drive or a laptop). If the transfer speed here has been an issue, or if you’re concerned about something happening to the two devices that are both with you, Sync provides a solution.

With Sync, you can quickly backup your images onto a NAS box in a safe, remote location. Or, if you have a partner or team that needs to work on the images, you can share it with their device via a link; this also allows them to begin working on the images immediately, without having to physically ship anything or dealing with the transfer speeds of cloud-based services.

Integrate Sync with other tools

With Photoshop, you could having all your working files in a Sync folder. If your retoucher works on a huge file all night, the up-to-date file will be immediately ready to check out in the morning; no need to send files or having use a transfer service that takes all night.

Photographer Paul McElligott once authored a post for us on setting up Sync with Lightroom so that folks can edit photos on the road and keep files in sync with their computer at home.

For the everyday photo enthusiast

If you’re looking to share vacation photos/videos with people or backing up files via your desktop (or mobile device), Sync can help.

A simple link gives anyone (of your choosing) access to the files on your device. A peer list helps you manage this process, showing you who’s connected to the folder, what files they have and what they still need. It’s fast, secure and puts you in control; none of your personal files are replicated on another company’s cloud.

For Sync on mobile, the camera backup is a great feature to get all your files onto another device (such as your laptop). Best of all, it’s free and there’s no caps on how much data you can backup.

BitTorrent’s own Art Director Jeff Kyung once showed how you can use Sync with Google Drive to not only back up photos remotely, but share them easily as well.